Food waste from Cedar Rapids and Marion Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores will be worked into yard waste and composted at the Solid Waste Agency’s compost site at the Site 1 landfill on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, in Cedar Rapids. (Liz Martin/SourceMedia Group News)
One of the easiest ways we can decrease greenhouse gases and reverse climate change is to reduce our food waste. According to National Geographicâs issue on The New Food Revolution, âour need for food poses one of the biggest dangers to the planetâ.
Agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to global warming, emitting more greenhouse gases than all our cars, trucks, trains, and planes combined â largely from methane released by cattle and rice farms, nitrous oxide from fertilized fields, and carbon dioxide from the cutting of rain forests to grow crops or raise livestock.
So, what can we do?!
REDUCE FOOD WASTE
An estimated 25 percent of the worldâs food calories (or about 1.3 billion tons) are lost or wasted before they can be consumed.  In developed countries, the waste occurs in homes, restaurants, and supermarkets. These startling statistics led the U.N. to launch a global campaign, Think Eat Save, dedicated to reducing the âfoodprintâ or food waste of consumers, retailers, and restaurants.
The good news! We, as consumers, can make simple changes that make a BIG difference in the amount of food we throw away each year. Try one or all of these top 6 tips to reduce your foodprint!
Avoid Impulse Buys
Youâre less likely to eat the items you donât need. Â Stick to âthe listâ!
Buy Funny-Looking Produce
Nature does not naturally produce perfectly shaped, blemish-free fruit and vegetables so why do we expect it? When you buy the less than perfect ones at a grocery store or farmerâs market, youâre helping reduce food that might otherwise be thrown out.
Stock Like Supermarket Shelves
Remember FIFO â First In First Out.  When unpacking groceries, move older products to the front of the shelf and put new products in the back. Great way to avoid the dreaded â âis this still good?â question on those post expiration date foods.
Eat Leftovers
So easy to forget whatâs in that styrofoam container or casserole dish after it gets pushed to the back of the fridge. If you have leftovers, make sure to put them in an airtight container at the front of the shelf. All containers are not created equal so verify that the lids are truly secure and marked as âairtightâ. We like Tenzo Variety 4-Pack Glass Containers and Verel 36oz 4-Pack Containers. Both sets have bamboo lids that multi-task as cutting boards and serving platters. Great to also bring your own containers to restaurants for left-overs so no wasted âto-goâ container thatâs usually not even recyclable!
Make a Smoothie
Soft fruit and vegetables can be used in smoothies as well as soups and nutritious juice. So easy to find smoothie recipes online but you can always try new recipes curated or created weekly @koecolife on #ThirstyThursday or our website!Â
Compost Waste
If some items just didnât make it to your mouth and are rotting awayâŠdonât worry!  âThrow them in â the compost bin!â Compost bins can be discreetly added to any size yard or outdoor space and most food waste will naturally decompose without even needing to empty the bin!
Or, you can schedule regular compost pick ups through companies like Wastenot Compost in Chicago. For a small fee, they will provide a compost bucket and collect it as needed. ADD PROMO CODE update koecolife promo!!
Rather than adding your Christmas tree to landfill, consider these 5 Eco-friendly Alternatives To Throwing Out Your Christmas Tree.
You may be askingâŠÂ Why bother? If disposed of in the garbage and brought to the city dump, these trees produce methane gas as they decompose or are incinerated contributing to global warming.  Read on to find your favorite eco-friendly alternatives to throwing out a Christmas tree!
CREATE ORNAMENTS
Ornaments arenât only for the tree!
Cut sections .5-1â thick to create âdiscsâ. Sand each section with heavy grit sandpaper.  Do not sand the bark on the edges.
Make ornaments using craft paints and add traditional Christmas messages or motivational sayings, sports teams, etc. Or, decoupage photos and decorate your home and office all year long. These also make excellent gifts and gift tags!
CUT SANTA LOGS
Let your tree dry out in a covered spot or inside before cutting.
Cut off the branches and straight cut the trunk into varying height logs.
The other end should be cut at a 45-degree angle for the face. Then, paint with non toxic, eco-friendly paints such as milk paint. The noses can also be made from flesh-colored pompoms for more dimension.
Group together and tie with a ribbon or line a mantel or floor with these happy santas.
INSULATE GARDEN PERENNIALS
Your old Christmas tree can help save the lives of the other plants in your garden.
Cut off boughs and lay them over perennial beds to protect them from snow, wind, and frost. As the needles fall off, they become a natural mulch and help the soil retain moisture.
MAKE CANDLE HOLDERS
So many uses for the wood slices/discs of the tree trunk! Nothing has to go to waste.
Cut to desired size and drill holes to fit candlestick or tealights.
RECYCLE ENTIRE TREE
Curbside recycling pickup may be an option in your area, although there are often requirements, such as for the tree size and decoration removal.
Returning your tree to the seller (large tree farms and big box retailers such as Home Depot) or taking it to a recycling center is another great option, especially if your community does not pick up trees. Check to see if your county has drop-off locations or use Earth911âs Recycling Directory to find treecycling programs in your area.
Looking for eco-friendly, back to school gear? After extensive research and our own testing, we found a few stand outs from these eco committed companies. All are absolutely dedicated to the environment and making products that are fun and functional!
These insulated bags and backpacks will make your kiddoâs smile with their cute designs, super comfortable handles and straps, quick access internal/external pockets, and easy pack/unpack. Made from an environmentally friendly, lightweight, neoprene-like material that cushions and insulates, both bags and backpacks are machine washable and stain resistant. This innovative material is also degradable, recyclable, durable, and 100% toxic-free (zero lead and BPA, PVC, phthalates free)! Note: We used these for five+ years and they are VERY durable; however, we recommend hand washing to extend the life of the product.
juice sat overnight.â Bags are rather large at 9âH x 10âW x 6â and easily hold a drink container or thermos. They also fared well for comfort and ease of use with our three year old testers. Available in 16, colorful designs including animal shapes, stars and stripes, and flowers, there is something for everyone and appeal to kids of all ages. Backpacks are 11âłH x 9âłW x 6âł in 12 designs, sized for kids ages 3-7. Receive 40% off if you add a matching lunch bag. Available at http://www.dabbawallabags.com ($30/$44).
So, whatâs a dabbawalla?? A person in India who delivers hot, home cooked meals in lunch boxes to workers and returns the empty boxes to the workerâs residence in the afternoon. Just thought you should knowâŠ
The Batac 16L backpack features a main zippered compartment, along with a front vertical-zip pocket and two mesh water bottle pockets. Each Batac is made responsively to reduce waste with remnant materials, by employees who decide exactly how each one looks so no two are exactly alike!
The Bento-ware lunchbox is perfect for preventing the lunch smoosh mess that comes with overcrowded backpacks or lunchbags. Made in the USA from eco-friendly, recyclable, dishwasher safe plastic, this lunchbox is built to last! Extremely durable (many reviewerâs kids have been using the boxes for years) and designed to appeal to kids AND adults, these boxes allow parents to pack a nutritious lunch for the whole family.
Each lunchbox is sold with three water-tight lidded and two unlidded containers (the box acts as the âlidâ for unlidded containers). There is also a compartment to hold adult sized (under 6Âœâ) utensils. Stainless steel fork and spoon sets can also be purchased separately on the bento-ware website. Our youngest tester (aged 3) did have trouble opening the box initially so this takes some practice for younger kids. However, we like that it has a secure, durable closure! Available at www.laptoplunches.com ($23).
This reusable, collapsible, waterproof, easy-to-clean, on-the-go, human and pet storage bottle/container Gives Back (now in partnership with Feeding America) with every purchase!
It holds fruit and veggie smoothie/purees as well as solids like carrot sticks, apple slices, and trail mix. As a bonus, THE POWCH! is freezer and dishwasher safe and can be used as an ice pack and heating pad. Available at www.koecolife.com ($19.99). Use coupon code âBACK20â for 20% off!
Reusable snack and sandwich bags are a must for eco-friendly, back to school gear. There are many choices out there and we chose selectively based on materials and made in USA sourcing and manufacturing.
Planet Wise offers a machine washable, water resistant bag with a locking zipper âno leakâ design. Kiddie and more sophisticated patterns also make these fun for all ages! Check them out at www.planetwise.com ($6.95).
Do you have other favorite eco-friendly, back to school gear to recommend? Weâd love to hear about it and expand our list. Please leave a comment and share your favs!
Why choose to make âall natural sunscreenâ? The FDA is conducting a major review of Over The Counter (OTC) sunscreens to assess there safety and quality.
In 2019, the agency proposed that of the 16 currently used ingredients in OTC sunscreens, only two â zinc oxide and titanium dioxide â are considered safe and effective based on available data.
It is alarming to see the research that confirms many traditional sunscreens use potentially toxic chemicals, synthetic preservatives, colors, and fragrances that generate free radicals which leads to early skin aging and non-melanoma skin cancer. Additionally, these ingredients can be hormone disruptors in children and toxic to sea life.
Anything coming in constant contact with your skin will land in your bloodstream for distribution throughout your body. Chemicals ON your skin may actually be worse than digesting them because they are absorbed immediately and go directly to your delicate organs. This makes it even more critical that we protect ourselves and our families from the dangers of toxic sunscreens.
You may have heard the saying, âif you canât pronounce it, then donât eat itâ. The same goes for not using lotions, gels, creams, etc. with âforeignâ ingredients.
So, what âtoxicâ ingredients are used?
The common ingredient the EWG is wary of is retinylpalmitate, a form of vitamin A added to sunscreen as an antioxidant.
âFederally funded research found that when you add this form of vitamin A to a skin cream and then put it on mice and expose them to UV radiation, they have higher rates of skin damage, skin tumours and lesions,â Lunder said. âAnd this is because the ingredient breaks down to a phototoxic ingredient thatâs harmful to the skin.â
EWG looks at active and inactive ingredients in sunscreen, rates formulations for their ability to protect skin from UVA and UVB rays, looks at stability of ingredients and checks for allergens and potentially dangerous chemicals. Check out how your sunscreen fared here.
All ingredients have a natural SPF; unfortunately, since this is a homemade recipe and has not been tested by a regulatory organization, we canât make any claims as to the combined SPF. Â However, the individual ingredients that are naturally SPF are:
*For a simpler version for moderate exposure, mix coconut oil and shea butter with; a little Raspberry Seed and Carrot Seed Oil or some Zinc oxide. Or, add Zinc Oxide to your favorite organic lotion (that doesnât contain citrus oils).
As always check with your doctor or dermatologist before using any new products.
2 Tablespoons Zinc Oxide (This is a non-nano version that wonât be absorbed into the skin. Be careful not to inhale the powder. This makes a natural SPF of 2-20+ or more can be added.)
Optional:Â Essential Oils, Vanilla Extract or other natural extracts to suit your preference
How to:
Combine ingredients (except zinc oxide) in a pint sized or larger glass jar. (Great repurpose use for a former spaghetti sauce jar!) Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat.
Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.
As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt.  Shake or stir occasionally to incorporate.  When all ingredients are completely melted, add the zinc oxide, stir in well and pour into whatever jar or tin you will use for storage.
Stir a few times as it cools to make sure zinc oxide is incorporated.Use as you would regular sunscreen. Â Best if used within six months!
NOTE:
This sunscreen is somewhat, but not completely, waterproof and will need to be reapplied after sweating or swimming
Make sure not to inhale the Zinc Oxide- use a mask if necessary!
This recipe has an SPF of about 15-20, though adding more Zinc Oxide will increase the SPF
Beeswax can be added as a thickener if desired
Store in a cool, dry place or in the fridge (will melt in warm environment so make sure to shake container before opening).
Wanna improve your health on the inside and out? Make this mega skin brightening and disease-fighting Rainbow Smoothie in advance and freeze in THE POWCH! for a boost all week! Itâs THREE delicious smoothie recipes in one!!
Mango, kiwi, and strawberry provide a powerhouse of skin glowing and disease-fighting vitamins and antioxidants.
In addition, we like to combine greens with our fruit smoothies for the added nutrient benefits. Spinach is a neutral-tasting, leafy green that is barely noticeable when mixed with sweet fruits.
Spinach is considered a superfood because of its nutrient density and health benefits. This leafy green helps your skin, hair and bones!  Healthline reports that spinach contains the following:
Vitamin A. Spinach is high in carotenoids, which your body can turn into vitamin A.
Vitamin C. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that promotes skin health and immune function.
Vitamin K1. This vitamin is essential for blood clotting. Notably, one spinach leaf contains over half of your daily needs.
Folic acid. Also known as folate or vitamin B9, this compound is vital for pregnant women and essential for normal cellular function and tissue growth.
Iron. Spinach is an excellent source of this essential mineral. Iron helps create hemoglobin, which brings oxygen to your bodyâs tissues.
Calcium. This mineral is essential for bone health and a crucial signaling molecule for your nervous system, heart, and muscles.
RECIPE (serves 3-4)
INGREDIENTS
Strawberry Smoothie
2 cups unsweetened frozen strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup unsweetened yogurt (can substitute coconut water, almond milk, or other lactose-free option)
DIRECTIONS
Add strawberries first, then orange juice and yogurt to blender. Blend until smooth.
Kiwi Smoothie
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
Organic maple syrup or honey to taste
DIRECTIONS
Add spinach first, then kiwi and almond milk to blender. For sweeter flavor add maple syrup or honey. Blend until smooth.
Mango Smoothie
1 1/2 cups mango nectar (can substitute apple or orange juice)
1 banana cut in half
3/4 cup unsweetened yogurt (can substitute coconut water, almond milk, or other lactose-free option)
1 1/2 cups frozen mango chunks
DIRECTIONS
Add mango, banana, then juice and yogurt to blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour strawberry, then kiwi, and top with mango smoothie as pictured (or in any order you desire to create the layers of the rainbow smoothie!)
For an added eco benefit, repurpose your jars as informal glassware. In a hurry? This smoothie makes a perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack. Make in advance and freeze blended in THE POWCH!TM for an easy grab-and-go meal.
Going green starts at home, and while separating paper from plastic in your recycling bin is a great first start, there are more steps you can take to be less wasteful and reduce your carbon footprint. In fact, by making small lifestyle changes, you may end up saving time and money in the long run while also encouraging healthier habits.
While going green might seem complicated, small, manageable actions can make a significant impact to ensure a healthy planet for future generations. Redfin reached out to us and other eco-wise experts from Salem, OR, all the way to Chicago, IL, for our best Earth Day tips to help make your home more sustainable. Check out what we had to say so you can start living greener on Earth Day and beyond.
1) Reduce plastic waste in your kitchen
Swap plastic sponges for eco-friendly sponges made from Loofah, a natural fruit that comes from the cucumber family. This means theyâre 100% compostable making them a greener cleaning alternative in your kitchen.
We have reduced a lot of plastic waste at our home by switching to refillable shampoo, conditioners, hand wash, and dishwashing liquids. There are several bulk food stores that sell these eco-friendly cleaning alternatives and you can either take your own bottle or these stores also sell the refillable bottle if itâs your first time. âEkoroo
2) Be mindful of your cleaning products
What better way to disinfect your home than to use the natural germ-killing power of the sun? UV disinfection products can disinfect the air and surfaces in your home with the push of a button. Ditch the chemicals, plastic bottles, and disposable cleaning products for environmentally friendly disinfection with ultraviolet light. âViolet DefenseÂ
3) Get a home energy score
Home Energy Scores help homeowners and homebuyers better understand a homeâs energy use â shining a light (preferably LED) on possible energy efficiency improvements they can make to save money and support a more sustainable energy future. âOregon Department of Energy
4) Circulate the air inside your home
The air inside your home can be up to 5 times more polluted than the air outside. Even during cooler times of the year, youâll want to open your windows for several minutes each day. Your heating and air conditioning systems will run more efficiently with clean, circulated air so donât ever fret over âletting all the cold air inâ or âletting all the warm air out.â âJust NaturalsÂ
5) âGreenifyâ your home office
The at-home worker can support their companyâs sustainability goals by making green improvements within their own home office. This includes reducing paper use, installing LED lighting, properly recycling office materials, and investing in energy-efficient office appliances. Working remotely is also a powerful way to lower your carbon footprint. Not only does this eliminate travel emissions but it leaves more time for productivity and tending to your family, home, and personal health. âGreen Business Bureau
6) A tried-and-true Earth Day tip: conserve energy within your home by turning off lights
To reduce energy usage and a buildingâs carbon footprint, âOFFâ is still the simplest solution. Begin by turning off lights in favor of natural lighting and by using HVAC equipment less in favor of natural ventilation to expand your range of comfortable temperatures so that equipment operates less frequently to maximize energy savings and cost reductions. And, because lights and equipment must be used at some point, try to tighten your building envelope and utilize energy-efficient equipment such as LED lights and high-efficiency, variable-speed heating, and cooling equipment. âElara Engineering
7) Invest in energy-efficient appliances
If you replace your old gas range or cooktop, replace it with a newer eco-friendly electric induction model. Electric induction cooking uses magnetic currents to directly heat the cookware only, saving energy. As an added bonus, cleanup is a breeze because the cooktop never gets hot and food never burns on it. âEcoHappy Style
8) Give your bathroom habits an eco-friendly and healthy makeover
Itâs time to ditch the harsh chemical cleaners. A great Earth Day tip is switching to plant-powered cleaners kissed with essential oils for those non-porous surfaces. Plus, itâs safer for you, your family, and the planet. âRebel Green
9) Divert landfill waste
Did you know that 60% of landfill waste is compostable? In addition, most green waste is enclosed in plastic bags and creates methane gas in the landfill. Start a worm composting bin and feed that green waste to your composting worms. You will divert landfill waste and your worms will create worm castings that you can use on your houseplants, landscapes, or gardens. âIowa Worm CompostingÂ
10) Grow your own garden
Growing your own food is not as difficult as it sounds, and it can be done anywhere. Have a yard? Great, start there. No yard accessible to you? No problem, grow indoors- or better yet, create a community garden with your neighbors and friends.
Start small with something like a herb plant or two. Not only are you reducing food waste by growing your own food (as the majority of foods come packaged in the store), you are also allowing yourself to connect deeper to the earth. âEco Goddess
11) Make sustainable swaps one step at a time
Where you can make a difference depends on your lifestyle. Some people love their to-go coffee, while others clean their ears often. Having a more eco-friendly lifestyle is really about taking a good look at the things you bring into your home and throw out, and just replacing or eliminating one thing at a time. An Earth Day tip to make these conscious choices a part of your lifestyle is to replace one thing a month, so you get 30 days to get used to this new habit. âLastObject
12) Incremental changes are key for a greener lifestyle
When converting your household over to healthy and environmentally conscious products, do so in small increments. Changing everything at one time can be overwhelming and costly. Consider changing products over in one area at a time, such as the kitchen, shower, or laundry. Think about all of the toxic products in your home and start replacing the ones that seem easiest, like hand soap versus your favorite shampoo. Allow yourself to run out of the prior product, then replace it with a healthier choice. This Earth Day tip will save you money and help you to adjust to new products a little at a time. âEdge Green Cleaning
13) Use reusable food and drink containers
Choose an earth-loving, reusable food or drink pouch with a built-in straw to avoid the 2.5 billion disposable food pouches that go into landfills every year (not to mention the 38 billion water bottles and 182.5 billion straws). These can be filled with applesauce, smoothies, yogurt, water, and much more to make on-the-go eating/drinking easy and eco-friendly. And, many are collapsible to save storage space. âk.o.ecolife
14) Reuse plastic bags or containers
Not everyone has access to bulk grocery stores or farmersâ markets. If youâre stuck buying groceries that come in a resealable plastic bag or container, an Earth Day tip to reduce plastic waste is to wash and reuse them for lunches or leftovers instead of buying more plastics bags. These bags are a waste of money and create more plastic waste. âKimberly-Carr Home Designs
15) Go one step beyond and try to make changes in your local grocery store
A unique Earth Day tip is to start a green movement within your community. Ask your supermarket manager if they will look to carrying fewer products packaged in plastic. If we donât buy them (eggs in plastic crates, milk in plastic bottles, etc.), they will feel it. âLetâs Talk About Food
Show Dad and the Earth your love with our Top 5 Earth-Friendly Fatherâs Day Gifts! From the active to the leisure dad, weâve got your eco covered
ACTIVE WEAR
The Smartwool Menâs Long Sleeve Half-Zip Shirt is the perfect base layer or lightweight pullover. This best-selling shirt is also its warmest in breathable, midweight merino wool. ($76.00 smartwool.com)
BACKPACKS
For a lightweight, easy to store option â give a collapsible backpack made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Check out Chicobagâs Travel Pack rePETe Compact Recycled Backpack made with 100% recycled PET rip stop fabric (available in three colors). This is a full size backpack measuring 10âłw x 17âłh x 6âłd that collapses into the front pocket! ($27.99 chicobag.com & Amazon).
FOOD & HYDRATION
Always ready for an adventure or just a walk around the neighborhood, THE POWCH! â a 12 oz. collapsible, watertight, food and drink pouch-bottle from k.o. ecolife shrinks to just 3.5âw x 2.25âh and gives back with every purchase.
This reusable fabric bottle/container is made in USA with a built-in nozzle cap that has a wide opening for easy filling and cleaning. Also works well for food and small supplies storage. Bright colors make it easy to see at the bottom of dark backpacks and bags too.  Available in four colors. Use COUPON CODE âdadsdayâ for 20% offâexp. 7/1/20. ($19.99 koecolife.com)
SOLAR CHARGERS
Donât let him ever be out of battery power again with clean energy to go!
The panel is lightweight and waterproof and provides solar power to smartphones, tablets, and other handheld USB devices. Built with a waterproof, UV, and scratch-resistant coating to last. ($65 10-Watt kit voltaicsystems.com)
Dad and the planet will be lovinâ these earth-friendly Fathers Day gifts! Please let us know if you have other earth loving âgift ideas for Dadsâ by leaving a comment below! Happy Fatherâs Day!!
You may look at your trash can (or recycling bin) and see only garbage but did you know that you can save hundreds of dollars if you repurpose âtrashâ?!
Everyone knows the âreduce, reuse, recycleâ mantra for a greener planet but how often do we really reuse and repurpose trash? k.o. ecolife is here to help you with that! We put together a list of our Top 5 favorite everyday household items that you call trash and we call repurpose TREASURE!
Plastic Milk Jugs
These make THE BEST scoops, pitchers, and watering cans â all in the same design!
Simply cut right above the handle in a circle and take off the top to create your perfect watering can, scoop (we like ours for the dog and cat food), or the ultimate, unbreakable outdoor margarita pitcher (reuse the cut away top to keep the bugs out).
Can you really make something beautiful from toilet paper rolls? Absolutely!! Collect toilet paper and paper towel tubes (surprising how quickly these accumulate when collecting them), cut to desired size (1â as pictured), and paint or keep natural color. Once dry, flatten to make an oval shape and glue together to create stars, snowflakes or let your kids get creative! Makes awesome wall art for their bedroom that everyone from your toddler to teenager will love!
Tin Coffee Cans
Decorate a plain wall or fence with these adorable tin coffee can âherbâ planters. So easy! Punch a hole in the top of the can at least Âœâ below the rim to allow enough space to enlarge hole if necessary and hang on hooks or nails. Oh, and of course, you can paint these any color of the rainbow too!
Glass Pasta Sauce and Jelly Jars
Glass jars of any size offer boatloads (cruise ship size!) of DIY ideas but our simplest and favorite is the good âol pencil, pen, highlighter, ruler, nail file, etc. holder. Pasta sauce and jelly jars tend to be the right size for these items. The wider the opening, the better â easier to take items in and out! And, donât throw out the lids. We have many repurpose trash ideas for these too. Weâll start with the perfect paperclip caddy â on your desk or as an organizer in your drawer.
2-Liter Plastic Bottles
A great way to repurpose all those bottles is to create an easy summer soaker toy or lawn sprinkler.  Poke holes in the bottle and attach to the hose using duct tape. Waters your lawn and fun for the whole family including the dog! Too bad we canât get this to work with our rain barrel! Oh, the drawbacks of conservation â please use water responsibly.
